A key to making a high performing media instance is to make sure that every event in the media elicits the desired responses from viewers, not responses very different from what the creator of the media expected. Herein, the media instance can be but is not limited to, a video game, an advertisement clip, a movie, a computer application, a printed media (e.g., a magazine), a website, an online advertisement, a recorded video, a live performance of media, and other types of media.
Physiological data, which includes but is not limited to heart rate, brain waves, electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, blink rate, breathing, motion, muscle movement, galvanic skin response and any other response correlated with changes in emotion of a viewer of a media instance, can give a trace (e.g., a line drawn by a recording instrument) of the viewer's responses while he/she is watching the media instance. The physiological data can be measured by one or more physiological sensors, each of which can be but is not limited to, an electroencephalogram, an accelerometer, a blood oxygen sensor, a galvanometer, an electromygraph, skin temperature sensor, breathing sensor, and any other physiological sensor.
It is well established that physiological data in the human body of a viewer has been shown to correlate with the viewer's change in emotions. Thus, from the measured “low level” physiological data, “high level” (i.e., easier to understand, intuitive to look at) physiological responses from the viewers of the media instance can be created. An effective media instance that connects with its audience/viewers is able to elicit the desired emotional response. Here, the high level physiological responses include, but are not limited to, liking (valence)-positive/negative responses to events in the media instance, intent to purchase or recall, emotional engagement in the media instance, thinking—amount of thoughts and/or immersion in the experience of the media instance, adrenaline—anger, distraction, frustration, cognition, stress, and other emotional experiences to events in the media instance.
Collecting physiological responses to a media instance from the viewers typically requires bringing the viewers/testers to a testing facility, fitting them with multiple physiological sensors, and recording the physiological data from the viewers via various testing equipment while they are watching the media instance. One problem with such testing process is that only a small number of people can be tested for a specific media instance due to the limited capacity and/or availability of the testing facilities as well as the professionals required to administer the testing. The cost for such testing can also be quite expensive and the results may be less than accurate due to the limited scope of the testing. Furthermore, most conventional testing is performed in sterile and unrealistic environments that can lead to results that are less than ideal.